hey,

I have applied to various law schools in the US for LL.M in IP law for the Fall 2009 term. Although, I was expecting their response by March, few of them have already responded !!

Franklin Pierce have accepted me and have also given me a scholarship but there is a rider attached. I have to make a $500 seat deposit to secure my seat. I really do not wanna shell out $500 before I hear from other law schools and I guess most of them will not respond earlier than March. However, Franklin has not ascertained any deadline to make this payment. They have only said, " THE SOONER THE BETTER" !!

In order to get some clarity on this I wrote to them asking whether they would remind me on their own before handing my seat to another, in case I do not make the payment. And this is what they wrote:

"I've made you aware of the limited number of seats and you have been encouraged to send in your deposit as soon as possible, we do not save places or make any guarantees about a student's seat unless they have paid the $500 seat deposit. You must understand, that currently you have no guaranteed seat in the incoming fall 2009 class, therefore technically we couldn't give away your seat. Paying the $500 seat deposit is the only way to guarantee your seat, please contact us again when you are ready to make your payment."

Whoa!! I really do not know what they mean by this. Do they mean that I should pay up ASAP, otherwise they will "strategically position" my acceptance letter inside the thrash can ?
I will be deeply obliged if any one can help me decipher this. Thanks a ton.